Sun & Sea

The opera performance Sun & Sea created by the three Lithuanian artists Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė, and Lina Lapelytė, has been received with great international acclaim for its humorous, beautiful, and relevant depiction of urgent issues to do with our own future and that of the planet. Presented as Sun & Sea (Marina), the piece was awarded the prestigious Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019.

Watching from scaffolding above the stage, the audience looks down on a sandy beach, complete with sunbathing visitors, a mosaic of towels, bright bathing suits, and plastic toys.

Imagine a beach — you on it, or better: watching from above — the burning sun, sunscreen and bright bathing suits and sweaty palms and legs. Tired limbs sprawled lazily across a mosaic of towels. Imagine the occasional squeal of children, laughter, the sound of an ice cream van in the distance. The musical rhythm of waves on the surf, a soothing sound (on this particular beach, not elsewhere). The rustling of plastic bags whirling in the air, then silently floating, jellyfish-like, below the waterline. The rumble of a volcano, or of an airplane, or a speedboat. Then a chorus of songs: everyday songs, songs of worry and of boredom, songs of almost nothing. And below them: the slow creaking of an exhausted Earth, a gasp. (Lucia Pietroiusti)